390 SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT. 



asked to do so. A cow-dealer one day was asked to 

 point her out, and without any hesitation did so. I have 

 known her all along by the different shape from the back 

 down to the flank or udder." 



These general notes, obtained from leading breeders, 

 indicate fully the system of management generally pur- 

 sued, both as regards breeding and fattening animals. It 

 will have been gathered that calves are, as a rule, dropped 

 between the 1st of December and the end of April ; and 

 that the prevailing custom is to let the calves suckle 

 their dams for six or eight months. A small quantity, 

 from half a pound to a pound, of linseed meal is usually 

 given to calves each day for some time before they are 

 weaned; and after weaning, the allowance is increased. 

 Young bulls are generally allowed 1 or 2 Ibs. of linseed 

 cake daily, along with turnips and fodder or grass, until 

 they are sold, at the age of from twelve to. eighteen 

 months. Heifers are similarly treated, except that they 

 get less cake. In fact, in many cases after they have 

 got beyond the stage of calves, they never taste cake 

 until they commence to breed. Most breeders give their 

 cows 2 or 3 Ibs. of cake, or some equivalent, for a 

 few weeks before and after calving ; while stock bulls 

 are always well fed during their active season. In some 

 herds heifers are mated when about eighteen months old, 

 but the prevailing plan is to delay serving another six 

 months. Too early breeding undoubtedly checks the 

 growth of animals. We also think it would be advisable 

 not to use yearling bulls quite so freely as they are used 

 at present. 



In other portions of the work the method of breeding 

 pursued in the more celebrated herds has been set forth 

 pretty clearly. It has been shown that in several cases the 

 deeper and more subtle principles of breeding have 

 been employed judiciously and successfully in developing 

 and maturing fixed and well-considered purposes. The 



